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PATENTED JAN. l2, 1904.

, J. S. BANCROFT. CENTERING MEGHANISM. ABPLIUATION FILED MAY zo. 1903'.

s SHEBTS-SH EET 1.

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No. 749,149. v PATBNTED JAN. l2, 1904. J. S. BANCROFT. CENTERINGMECHANISM.

.APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

r PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904. J. si BANGROPT.-

GENTERING MBGHANISM.

APPLIGATIQN FILED MAY 20, 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

WLM/mou@ o.. wnsumaon n c UNiTED STATES Patented January 12, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN SELLERS BANCROFT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR IOLANSTON MONOTYPE MACHINE COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.v

CENTERING NIECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,149, dated January1.2, 1904. Application filed May 20, 1903. Serial No. 157,978. (Nomodel-l To all whom t may concern:

` Be it known that I, JOHN SELLERS BAN- CROFT, of Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Centering Mechanism; and I 'do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had toY the accompanying d1awings,forming a part of thismarked thereon. l

' This invention relates to improvements in or pertaining to thedie-case-centering mechanism of Patents Nos. 625,998 and 674,87 6,

I5 and it has for its principal objects to facili;v

tate the initial adjustment of the positioning mechanisms and preventinterference one with the other by providing4 each with' a separateactuating mechanism connected to the prime 2O mover or lever; to preventdistortion of or injury to the primary positioning mechanism and itsactuating devices and render the latter self-accommodating by soconstructing and arranging the elements of thespring-boX that thecompression-spring' will be Aoperative during the closing of the primarypositioning jaws; to render the action of the lfinal positioning-boltmore certain and preventiits accidental displacement when in 'engagementwithv the secondary controllerby the application of automatic lockingdevices `for retaining said bolt in adjusted position during the actionof the positioning-mechanism; to preserve or prolong the life of thestop-bar forming the secondary controller or gage byY increasing itselasticity in the'- vicinity of the stop, so that it Y may yieldslightly under the impact of the jaws of the positioning mechanism, andgenerally to improve the mechanism as a whole ter fully described, thenovel features being pointed out in the claims. v A

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred form ofembodiment of the invention, Figure lis a top plan view of thediccase-centering mechanism with the improvements applied thereto. Fig.2 is va perspecand render it more efficient, all as hereinaftive view ofthe improved stop-bar. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the lockingmechanism for the final positioning-bolts. Fig. 4 is 50 a perspectiveview, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view, of the duplex actuator fortransmitting motion to the two sets of positioning mechanism. Fig. 6 isa side elevation, partly in section, Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section,and 55 n 4f'Flg. 8 1s a transverse section, of the duplex IOspecification, and to the figures of reference* spring-box.

Similar numerals vin the several figures indicate like parts.

The die-case or matrix centering mechanism 6o with which the presentimprovements Aare shown associated isthat of Patents Nos.

625,998 and 674,37 6, to which latter reference may be had for adescription of its general construction and functions, only such partsas 6 5 are immediately connected with the present improvements beingindicated in the drawings. These are the levers l 2 of the two primarypositioning mechanisms, the levers 3 4 of the two secondary positioningmechan- 7o isms, the stops 5 of the secondary controllergage, theretracting-spring 6 of the primary positioning mechanisms, the finalpositioning- Ibolts 7 of thesecondary c ontrollers or gages,

the actuating-rod 8 for bolts 7 the prime 75 mover or lever 9 fordriving the positioning mechanisms, and a portion of the main frame.

`Ihe following` brief outline of the action of some of these parts mayserve as an aid in understanding the objects sought and vaccomplishedbythe present invention.

v The die-case to be adjusted is controlled in its movementsor positionby two sets of control mechanism operating on intersecting linessitioning-bolt 7, which is advanced t0 lock the secondary controller inadjusted position, and a secondary positioning mechanism in the form ofjaws connected to the outer ends of levers 3 4, said jaws closing uponthe stop 5 of the secondary controller and upon a connection with thedie-case to bring the latter to the position designated by stop 5.

In the prior machines the levers 1 2, 3 4 of both positioning mechanismswere connected to and derived motion from a single bell-crank lever,which in turn was connected to the prime mover 9 through a compoundelastic and frictional coupling, as described in Patent No. 674,376. Itresulted from this arrangement that great care and skill were requiredin locating centers and proportioning parts in order that the twosystems might work in harmony, for what affected one affected all. Thusthe adjustments for regulating the closing of the primarypositioningjaws (connected to levers 1 2) or the secondarypositioning-jaws (connected to levers 3 4) had to be performed in properrelation not only to the movements of the actuating-lever, but also tothat of the complementary set of positioning-jaws. Moreover, thereactions due to inertia and elasticity directly affecting onepositioning mechanism were transmitted to the other through the lever ofthe actuating mechanism. To remedy these and other minor defects, eachset of control mechanism is furnished with a separate actuator,intermediate levers l 2, 3 4, and the prime mover 9 common to all andfrom whence their respective movements are derived, so that the leversof one positioning mechanism may be set or adjusted independently of thecomplementary mechanism and without interference with the latter as tomovement or position. To this end each set of levers 1 2, 3 4 isconnected to one of a pair of levers or actuators 11 12, and the latterin turn are connected to the prime mover 9 through rods 13 14 andseparate spring-boxes, as hereinafter described.

The two actuators 11 12 are designed to occupy the place of the singlebell-crank actuator of existing machines. Hence they are so arrangedthat when united they simulate the form of the single bell-crank. In thepreferred form shown the actuator 11 comprises ahub 15, bored to receivethe pivot 16,and two arms 17 18, one furnished with a spherical bearing19 for the reception of a socket member on driving-rod 13 and the otherwith a pin 2O for the driving-links of levers 1 2, 3 4.

Actuator 12, located above 11, is provided with a pivot-bearing and twoarms,the one, 21, carrying a spherical bearing 22 and the pin 23 for theattachment of driving-rod 14 and the driving-links, respectively, andprovided with an offset 24,wl1ose inner face is arc-shaped and furnishedwith a rib itted to a corresponding grooved bearing-face on the end ofarm 17 of actuator 11, while the other arm, 25, is furnished with anarc-shaped outer face provided with a longitudinal rib or spline andfitted to the corresponding inner face of an olfset portion of arm 18.The arc-shaped bearings are struck from the axis of pivot 16, and thearrangement is designed especially to prevent lateral displacement ofthe actuators, at the same time permitting independent circular motionabout the axis of pivot 16.

To the prime mover or lever 9 are connected the two spring-boxes, onefor each actuator 11 12 and acting upon the latter through rods 13 14,the one directly and the other indirectly, through a rod 26,carrying across-head 28, guided upon rod 13, said rods being provided withsuitable adjusting devices for varying the positions of the actuators.

The two spring-boxes are substantially identical in construction so faras their active elements are concerned, and for convenience they areunited in a single structure constituting what may be termed a duplexspringbox. Y

Interposed between end blocks or heads 30 31 and held in position by tierods or bolts 32, uniting said heads, are two casings 33, preferablycylindrical, each containing one of the spring-box mechanisms. The head3l is recessed laterally for the passage of lever 9 and is provided withacentral spherical bearing 34 to receive the spherical head of saidlever.

Extending longitudinally through head 31 and preferably at equaldistances on opposite sides of the bearing 34 are two parallel bearingsfor the reception and passage of rods 13 and 26. Each of said rods isreduced in diameter beyond the inner face of head 31 to form a shoulder35, and each rod carries on its outer end a wedge in the form of a cone36, with its base adjacent to head 30. For the purpose of supporting andguiding the outer ends of the rods and permitting ready access to thenuts 37 the cones 36 are provided with cylindrical or other shapedextensions 38, extending through openings in head 30, and the rods areextended through said extensions beyond the head. e

Located within and at or near one end of the casing is a friction membercomposed of cone 36 and a series'of wedge-blocks 40 interposed betweensaid cone andthe inner surface of the casing, the blocks 40 having innerinclined faces corresponding to those of the cone or wedge 36y and outersurfaces parallel and in contact with the interior of the casing. Atensioning-spring 41 (preferably comprising two or more springs nestedtogether, as shown) bears at one end against the bases of thewedge-blocks 40, either directly or through an interposed loose plate orcollar 42, the opposite end engaging a loose collar 43 on shaft 13 or26, said collar taking its bearing upon shoulder 35.

IOO

IIO

culated to maintain this relation under normal conditions; but shouldany unusual obstruction be encountered or the resistance to the movemedtof levers 1 2 be unduly increased, as by a slight displacement ofcenters or inaccurate proportioning of parts, the spring will yield,permitting a retardation or stoppage of rods 13 or 26 and the partsdriven thereby, while the lever 9 continues its movement. This actiontakes place during the forward movement of lever 9, when the outer endsof levers 3 4 are separated and those of levers 1 2 drawn together toclose the jaws of the primary positioning mechanism upon the primarycontroller or stop-pin and move the secondary controller 5 to position.

During the opposite or return motion of lever 9, when the outer ends oflevers 3 4 are caused to approach and in so doing close the jaws of thesecondary positioning mechanism upon the secondary controller, at thesame time shifting the die-case to position, not only is the resistanceto be overcome greater, but it varies with the inertia of the parts tobe moved. Hence the introduction of a combined elastic and frictionalmember, as described in Patent No. 67 4,37 6, to absorb the reaction ofthe elastic members and lessen shock. In the .present instance thisfrictional absorbing member is represented by the wedge or cone 36 andblocks 40, the former carried by the rod and the latter acted upon byspring 41, so `.that when the resistance encountered exceeds thepressure of the spring plus the frictionof blocks 4() upon the casingthe spring will yield, but not otherwise, and in expanding the powerexerted by the spring upon the rod and connected parts will bediminished bythe amount absorbed in returning the wedge-blocks and wedgeto their initial position with-in the casing. Thus the same spring 41 isutilized in developing different degees of resistance as applied tolevers 1 2 and 3.4 during theirclosing movements, acting directly uponthe connecting-rod when closing levers 1 2 and through the frictionmembers when closing jaws 3 4, and there being a separate spring-box foreach actuator 11 12 whatever reaction takes place iniconnection with oneset of levers 1 2, 3 4 is taken up or absorbed by its spring-box, andthus prevented from interfering with the other set.

The bars 50, carrying the stops 5 of the secondary controllers or gages,are each provided with a series of teeth 51 for the reception of thebeveled end of its final positioning-bolt 7, the latter connected to alever 52, which is acted upon by a spring 53 to advance the bolt and bya head 54, engaging arm 55, to retract or withdraw the same. Thesesecondary controllers in their dual capacity of shiftable members andfixed points of resistance present centers of alternate activity andresistance, and being acted upon successively by both sets of jaws-thoseof the primary and secondary positioning mechanismsMthe strains imposedupon them are very considerable, more especially such as result from thereaction of the flexible elements or where from imperfect adjustment orproportioning of the parts an undue proportion of the work is imposedupon one controller. Hence it sometimes occurs that one or bothcontrollers will be destroyed or incapacitated, the fracture commonlyoccurring either at the junction of the stop 5 with its supporting-baror among the holding-teeth 51. This tendency to fracture is materiallyreduced by the action of the separate actuators and' springboxes,hereinbefore explained, in diminishing the reactionary effect of one setof mechanism upon theother and providing for individual adjustment andaccommodation. To still further guard against this breaking of thesecondary controller and at the same time increase its effectiveness inaction, two remedies have been devised and applied, the one especiallydesigned to prevent fracture of the stops 5 and the other fracture of.the teeth 51. In the rst place the bar 50, which is supported in guidesand carries the stop 5, is changed from a practically rigid into asomewhat flexible member at or nearthe point of attachment of said stop,so that the latter may yield slightly under the impact of the jaws. Tothis end the bar 50 is reduced in cross-section on each side of thepoint of attachment of stop 5, as by the removal of metal at 56, Fig. 2,so that these portions being unsupported by the guides may bend slightlywhen the stop is hit by the jaws, and thus prevent fracture. Thestrength and stability of the stop itself may also be increased bywidening thebase thereof in the direction of the length of bar 50, thusgreatly strengthening it at the point where rupture most frequentlyoccurs.

To'preserve the teeth 51, they are made shorter and with a more obtuseangle than heretofore, with the result that the final positioning-boltsare the more easily displaced. Hence additional means have to beprovided to prevent this most undesirable occurrence. For variousreasons affecting the general operations of the machine, such as thebalancing of forces, &c. it is not deemed desirable to pro.- portionallyincrease the power of the springs 53 Yfor holding the positioning-bolts7 firmly in engagement wtih the teeth of the stop-bar. Hence other meanshave been devised to accomplish this purpose. This comprises a lockingdevice or mechanism, preferably applied IOO to lever 52 and operatingwhen the bolt is in engagement to hold it firmly and positively againstmotion in a direction to disturb such engagement or permit accidentaldisplacement of the secondary controller or gage, the importance ofwhich will be readily understood where it is considered that saidcontrollers are the final gages for determining the position of thedie-case opposite the mold. To this end the arm 55 of each lever 52 isfurnished with an automatic lock, preferably in the form of a lever 60,pivotally carried by said lever 52 and provided with an arm 6l, lying inthe path of the retracting-head 54, a second arm 62,adapted to engage afixed bearing 63 on the machine, and a spring 64, operating to advanceand hold arm 6l beyond the engaging face of lever 55 and the arm 62 inengagement with bearing 63.

The pivot of lever 60 is so related to that of its supporting-lever 55and the fixed bearing 63 that when arm 62 contacts with said bearingmotion of lever 55 in a direction to withdraw its bolt 7 will beresisted, and in order to prevent even slight displacement the engagingface of the locking-arm 62 is formed at a slight inclination to thedirection of motion in eecting engagement, so that it will have a slightwedging action with relation to its bearing 63, and thus hold the bolt 7securely in its most advanced position. The advance of thepositioning-bolts 7 to locate and lock the secondary controller in finalposition is effected by springs 53, and the withdrawal of said bolts torelease the controller by the advance of head 54 against arms 55, asheretofore, and by interposing the actuating member or arm 6l of lever60 in the path of said head the latter is utilized in effecting apositive withdrawal of the locking member or arm 62 before engaginglever 55 during the advance movement to withdraw bolt 7 and hold thelock open until during the reverse motion of the head the lever 52 isarrested by the seating of its bolt 7, whereupon the head as it passesfrom arm 55 will release arm 61 and permit spring 64 to bring the lockinto action. The lock is thus rendered automatic both in its applicationand withdrawal, and, as applied, does not interfere to any extent withthe normal action of the other mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by .Letters Patent, is-

l. In a centering mechanism such as described wherein a plurality ofpositioning mechanisms each provided with oppositelymoving levers aredriven from a single prime mover, the combination with said levers andprime mover of separate actuators connected to and driven by said primemover and each connected to a different set of levers, substantially asdescribed.

2. In aA centering mechanism such as described the combination with thetwo sets of positioning-levers and the prime mover therefor, of twoactuators each connected to and driving one set of levers, and aspring-box located in the line of communication between each actuatorand the prime mover, substantially as described.

3. In a centering mechanism such as dcscribed and in combination withthe two sets of oppositely-movable levers pertaining to the primary andsecondary positioning mechanism an actuator for said levers, a primemover, and an elastic coupling or spring-box in the line of'communication between said prime mover and actuator, said elasticcoupling arranged and operating to afford yielding resistance in bothdirections, substantially as described.

4. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with thelevers of the primary and secondary positioning mechanisms, the actuatortherefor and the prime mover, an elastic connection or spring-boxinterposed in the line of' communication between the prime mover andactuator and provided with a tensioning-spring operating directly uponthe connecting devices in producing motion in one direction andindirectly through friction members in producing motion in the oppositedirection.

5. A spring-box or yielding connection for driving a centering mechanismsuch as described comprising a casing, heads secured to opposite ends ofsaid casing, a rod or reciprocating member provided With a collar and awedge-block, wedge members interposed between said wedge-block and thecasing and a spring interposed between said wedging members and thecollar on the rod, said spring operating through the collar to resistmotion of the rod in one direction and through the wedge members andwedge to resist motion in the opposite direction, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with thelevers of the positioning mechanisms of actuating mechanism thereforcomprising two actuators pivotally supported upon a pivot an d providedwith interlocking members or bearings for preventing lateraldisplacement while permitting independent circular motion about theircommon axis.

7. An actuating device for a centering mechanism such as describedcomprising two actuators in the form of bell-crank levers provided withinterlocking bearings adapted to prevent lateral displacement whilepermitting independent circular motion about an axis common to both, oneof said levers being provided with means for attaching a driving memberto one arm and a driven member to the other, while the other lever isprovided with attachments for both driving and driven members upon thesame arm; substantially as described.

8. In a centering mechanism such as de- IOO interlocking projections;substantially as described.

9. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with thetwo sets of levers for operating the positioning mechanisms of twoactuators, each connected to one set of levers and pivotally supportedto oscillate independently about a common aXis,a driver or prime movercommon to both actuators, a connecting-rod for each actuator, and acompound frictional and elastic connection or spring-box interposedbetween the driver and each connecting-rod, substantially as described.

10. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with thelevers of the positioning mechanism and the secondary controllers, ofone actuating mechanism for said levers provided withindependently-movable actuators driven from a common prime mover orlever, as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a centering mechanism provided with a shiftable controller and anal positioning device therefor, the combination with said positioningdevice andits actuating mechanism of a lock operating to retain saidpositioning device positively in engagement with the controller;substantially as described. a

12. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with ashiftable controller, a iinal positioning device or bolt, and actuatingdevices for reciprocating said positioning device, to alternately engageand release said controller, of automatic locking devices foralternately engaging and releasing the positioning device; substantiallyas described. n

18. In a centering mechanism such as described wherein primary andsecondary positioning mechanisms are employed in connection with ashifting controller the latter provided with a final positioning deviceand actuating mechanism therefor, the combination with said finalpositioning device of a lock and actuating devices .therefor controlledby or from the actuating mechanism of the final positioning device tolock the latter after engagement with theJ controller and release it inadvance of its withdrawal from the controller; substantially asdescribed.

14. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with theshiftable controller iinal positioning-bolt, and actuating devicestherefor including a lever, spring and reciprocating head, of a lockingmember pivotally supported upon the lever in position to engage a Xedabutment and projecting into the line of movement of the reciprocatinghead; substantially as described.

15. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with theactuatinglever of the final positioning-bolt and the reciprocating' headoperating upon said lever, of a locking device adapted to be interposedbetween .an abutment and said lever in the line of the latters movement,said locking device being furnished with an inclined or taperingengaging surface; substantially as described.

16. In a centering mechanism such as described the combination with thefinal positioning-bolt and its actuating-lever, spring and reciprocatinghead, of a lock for said lever comprising a member pivoted upon thelever v and provided with an engaging surface for contacting with afixed abutment, and a spring, said member projecting into the path ofthe reciprocating head in advance of the portion of the lever with whichsaid head engages; substantially as described.

17. In a centering mechanism such as described comprising a plurality ofpositioning and controller mechanisms, each of the former provided witha separate actuator, and each of the latter provided with a iinalpositioning-bolt, and an actuating-lever, and a reciprocating headcommon to the two actuating-levers, the combination with saidactuating-levers and reciprocating head of two locks, one for eachactuating-lever, both operated upon by, said head to alternately holdand release the positioning bolt as said head engages and is withdrawnfrom said actuatinglevers; substantially as described.

18. A controller for centering mechanisms such as described, consistingof a guide bar provided with a ieXible elastic section and an arm,constituting a stop, attached to and projecting laterally of saidguide-bar in the vicinity of said iieXible elastic section.

19. A controller for centering mechanisms such as described comprising aguide-bar re-- IOO duced in cross-section at two points in'its JOHNSELLERS BANCROFT.

Witnesses:

MORTIMER A. JoNEs, JosEPH B. CHURCH.

